What does it mean to intercept a reconnaissance plane? Russian aviation

AiF.ru spoke about what it means to “intercept” a plane in the air and for what purpose it is carried out former aircraft commander, flight safety specialist Alexander Romanov:

— Each state has special airfields on its territory, where interceptor fighters are on duty around the clock. Typically, the crew is right in the cockpit to instantly start the engine and take off into the sky. Combat readiness - five minutes.

Having detected and identified the target, the fighter approaches it. The interceptor flies up to the intruder from the right side and attracts attention by swaying its wings (this maneuver is also interpreted by pilots as a greeting). Negotiations are being conducted with him through all communication channels in order to find out the reason for his appearance in foreign airspace or on the border with it. This could be a deliberate action (intelligence collection, provocation), or the board could simply go off course, losing its spatial position.

In any case, the Air Force's task is to stop the intruder. There is such an international flying language: if an interceptor fighter sharply crosses the course of another aircraft and goes, say, to the left, this means that its pilots must follow it.

That is, it is practically possible to force the plane to land at the desired airfield in order to find out whether the aircraft has permission to fly to this place. Also, the fighter can “emerge” from the bottom up, indicating that the road is prohibited further. There are many such signals, about 25, and all of them are known to every pilot.

This is the essence of “intercepting” an aircraft in the air. There is no talk of any destruction of the “enemy” in the air. The interceptor fighter simply forces the intruder aircraft to adjust course (leave the protected airspace while being escorted) or land on the ground to further clarify the circumstances of the incident when air borders are violated.

— What happens if the intruder does not respond?

— If a detected aircraft continues to fly into a dangerous or restricted area, ignoring the requirements of the Air Force, then the military can open warning fire with tracer shells in front of the pilot’s cockpit. If there is no reaction here either, then they can shoot to kill.

As a rule, if the intruder is a civilian aircraft, then one fighter is enough to “intercept” it, but if we are talking about military aircraft, then several military interceptor fighters take to the skies.

Today, many military aircraft and reconnaissance aircraft fly in neutral zones and over water areas. Unfortunately, this is all part of a huge strategic (or rather, political) game. Unfortunately, there were even cases when uninvited guests interfered with the flight of civilian ships, and they had to urgently change their course, which led to injury to passengers.

On Saturday, November 25, the Russian military scrambled a Su-30 fighter after detecting an air target over the neutral waters of the Black Sea approaching the Russian border. It was later identified as an American reconnaissance aircraft.

“Around 13:00 Moscow time, Russian means of control airspace An air target was detected over the neutral waters of the Black Sea, approaching the state border of the Russian Federation at high speed. To intercept the target, a Su-30 fighter from the duty air defense systems of the Southern Military District was scrambled. Having approached, the Russian fighter flew over the air object and visually identified it as an American P-8A Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft,” the press service of the Southern Military District said in a statement.

It is noted that after being detected by a Russian fighter, the American P-8A Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft changed its flight path and began to move away from Russian airspace.

Having completed the task, the Russian fighter returned to its home airfield.

• Multirole fighter SU-30SM
• RIA Novosti
• Sergey Pivovarov

“Course to contain Russia”

The editor-in-chief of Arsenal of the Fatherland magazine, military expert Viktor Murakhovsky, believes that the appearance of a US Navy reconnaissance aircraft near the borders of the Russian Federation is part of America’s overall strategy aimed at containing Russia.

“The United States has approximately doubled the activity of its military aviation flights near the borders of the Russian Federation. And this is being done, as the NATO doctrine says, to “contain Russia.” To do this, they have increased the intensity of aviation flights, increased the scale, duration and number of exercises in countries bordering Russia, and regularly carry out unmanned aircraft flights,” the expert explained.

Noticeable activity of American aircraft in the Baltic and Black Seas was also noted by the commercial director of the Arsenal of the Fatherland magazine Alexey Leonkov. According to him, this can be explained, among other things, by the Americans’ interest in new types of Russian weapons to update their databases.

“Since the end of last year, Americans have been actively flying in our Baltic and Black Sea, along our eastern borders. They are trying to remove the so-called signatures of new weapons and military equipment and update your database. They are trying to monitor all our exercises,” said a military expert in a conversation with RT.

Defiant actions of a US Navy reconnaissance aircraft

Leonkov recalled that during the Russian-Belarusian exercises “Zapad-2017” American planes were in the air over the territory of the maneuvers almost around the clock.

“This is common practice. But when they begin to disrupt and fly too far, then our interceptor fighters take to the air. However, if it was lifted into the air (Russian - RT) is a military aircraft, which means that the American reconnaissance aircraft began to behave arrogantly and defiantly,” he believes.

Earlier, Pentagon spokeswoman Michelle Baldanza reported the interception of a US Navy aircraft by a Russian Su-30 fighter.

“The US aircraft was operating in international airspace and did not do anything that could have provoked the Russian fighter crew,” CNN quoted a US defense official as saying.

The actions of the Russian fighter, according to Baldanza, are unsafe, since the Su-30 flew directly in front of the P-8 Poseidon. As a result, the American plane was forced to make a sharp maneuver, which led to “very strong turbulence.”

The Pentagon believes that the “unsafe” interception of the Su-30 could have led to “serious injuries” to the crew members of both aircraft.

Since the beginning of 2017, Su-30SM fighters have flown about 120 times to escort reconnaissance aircraft and drones near Russia's southern borders. This was reported by the commander of the 4th Air Force and Air Defense Army, Lieutenant General Viktor Sevostyanov. American aerial reconnaissance assets were most active over the Black Sea near Crimea.

Including, according to the lieutenant general, in May 2017, a Boeing P-8 Poseidon aircraft of the US Navy patrol aircraft, and then a heavy strategic reconnaissance drone RQ-4 Global Hawk, conducted reconnaissance flights off the coast of Crimea. Both times Su-30SM fighters of the 4th Air Force and Air Defense Army took off to intercept.

It seems that a regiment of “downed pilots” has arrived in the USA. The crew of the RC-135U reconnaissance aircraft returned, however, from the mission alive and unharmed. But, firstly, it’s all the same - thrown off course. Secondly, scared to death. He had probably only seen Russian fighters so close before in simulators. And here, one might say, it’s almost wing to wing and nose to nose. At least that’s what the Pentagon is saying now, a week after the incident in the skies over the Baltic. And he calls the actions of the Russian Su-27, which flew within six meters of the American, “dangerous and unprofessional.” Well, he's upset. In the style of our comrade Saakhov from "Prisoner of the Caucasus". “Listen, it’s a shame, I swear I didn’t do anything, just walked in.” He didn’t even enter, they chastely clarify in Washington. And with offended innocence they declare that it was an ordinary flight.

"Normal flight", according to their classification, is aerial reconnaissance thousands of kilometers away own borders without identification marks. And what is unusual for them, and therefore dangerous, is an adequate and natural method. The Su-27 received the spy, flew around, identified it and put it to flight. It is possible that this is what they wanted - to test the speed of the Russian reaction. But they themselves did not expect how lightning fast and decisive she could be. The US side was formally in neutral space. But, firstly, it was rapidly approaching our borders. Secondly, he was flying incognito, which is, at a minimum, dishonest. Thirdly, even the position in which our fighter found him fully allowed him to monitor military activities in the west of the country and in Kaliningrad.

And it’s not that we’re completely embarrassed by her. Within the framework of an international agreement " Open sky"Americans, among other NATO members, can monitor Russia legally. But it seems to them that they can see better through a keyhole. The RC pilot, in the end, saw his whole life. Now he will have something to tell his colleagues. And, probably, psychologists. Although, say, they did not help the crew of the destroyer "Donald Cook" Exactly a year ago, having caught an American ship in the Black Sea, a Russian bomber just waved its wing at them more than once and in such a way that it could be done if desired. It was possible to hold out, however, without contact. But three dozen sailors immediately “rushed” to the shore with requests for resignation. Washington then also called our actions “unprofessional.”

Although what could be more professional in military affairs than causing a potential enemy to flee without the use of force? Both then and now, it was just jewelry work, filigree technology and that same aerobatics. You need to be able to do this: without touching, to touch a nerve. The Pentagon is now threatening Russia with a deterioration in relations, as if it is possible to worsen something that does not exist. And he promises consequences, as if it was not his pilot who was afraid of them.

The topic will be continued by the editor-in-chief of the magazine "National Defense" Igor Korotchenko.

Try to guess what they are thinking about when planning a program for such a flight? Maybe that's how they wanted it to end?

- I think that the Americans did not expect that Russian air defenses would detect and intercept the reconnaissance aircraft. To a certain extent, this was a shock for American pilots, because they were used to flying where they wanted, when they wanted, and demonstrating their superiority to everyone else. However, Russian air defense has shown that it is not for nothing that it eats its bread. Therefore, the Americans, after our Su-27 made several flights around their reconnaissance aircraft, were obviously at a loss. Maybe they got scared and decided to go home. Our army has fulfilled its duty, and we can only congratulate the Russian Air Force that we have such pilots.

After this incident, the Pentagon threatens an escalation of tensions and some consequences. This means we should expect new provocations. What could they be?

- They can scare you with anything. Let some banana republics scare you, not Russian Federation. I can say absolutely clearly: if American reconnaissance aircraft continue to fly near our borders, they will continue to be intercepted. And in the event of a violation of Russian airspace, we will have every opportunity to force such violators to land.

By and large, the Pentagon is completely in vain to fear that Russian pilots may not calculate the dimensions. If they had seen what our aces were doing in the sky on May 9, they might have been more calm about the lives of their, as it turns out, too sensitive warriors. Although Washington's conclusion from this reconnaissance is correct. Safe is when at a respectful distance. Isn’t that what we tell them all the time?

IN lately reports of air interceptions by our fighters of US aircraft are received as regularly as information about the preparations for the Victory Parade.

On April 14, a Su-27 was intercepted by an American reconnaissance aircraft RC-135 in the skies over the Baltic Sea. The American generals did not like this maneuver. They said the Russian pilot acted improperly by endangering the safety of his American colleague. He got scared and changed course.

On April 21, a MiG-31 intercepted an American R-8 anti-submarine aircraft in the Kamchatka region. At the same time, American generals expressed satisfaction with the actions of the Russian pilot, saying that everything was done correctly.

Different generals commented on these two events, since in both cases the Russian pilots approached the intercepted targets at the same distance of 15 meters.

Such incidents have become more frequent due to the deterioration of relations between Russia and the United States. At the same time, the West traditionally accuses the Russian side of dangerous maneuvers. That is, everything turns upside down. Since in reality the interceptions are a response to the unfriendly actions of NATO aviation, which intensified reconnaissance flights near Russian border. And if they had not met resistance, reconnaissance planes would have penetrated into our airspace.

Moreover, the maneuver, which the Pentagon calls “dangerous,” is not only effective, but also the only way to force a potential border violator to sharply change course. The shorter the approach distance, the greater the emotions experienced by American pilots, who have not encountered such disrespectful attitude in this century. So, in mid-2014, over the same Baltic Sea, a Su-27 pilot flew up to an RC-135, a rather clumsy aircraft, at a distance of about eight meters. The American was so shocked that out of fear he invaded Swedish airspace. The Swedes showed him much more friendliness.

What is aircraft interception?

To be precise in terms of terminology, then everything that was said above is not interception at all. A demonstration of intentions and capabilities. Interception is an air defense force action that is intended to destroy a target or disable it or force it to land. It uses ground services(radar and command posts targeting), anti-aircraft missile and artillery systems, as well as fighter aircraft. Moreover, specialized aviation - interceptors, which include MiG-31 and Su-27 aircraft.

The sequence of actions is as follows. Ground radars detect the target. Its coordinates, distance, speed, direction of movement are calculated. The trajectory of movement is determined. And the command is given to launch an anti-aircraft missile. Or an interceptor takes off and is given a flight mission - speed and direction of flight. What is called pointing an interceptor at a target. Following commands from the ground, the interceptor at some point in its trajectory approaches the target within attack distance. Moreover, he is in a position convenient for attack. And it either fires at the target from a cannon or hits it with a rocket.

If we are talking about a forced landing, then the attacking fighter fires warning shots from a cannon to demonstrate the seriousness of its intentions. Preventive missile fire is impossible because the missile has a homing system for the target.

The interceptor fighter is subject to higher requirements than aircraft designed to gain air superiority - in terms of speed and altitude. Because you have to fight with scouts, who, as a rule, are also high-speed and high-altitude (the RC-135, which was discussed above, is not one of these).

Still in use in third world countries, including Ukraine, the Soviet MiG-25 interceptor has a maximum speed of 3,000 km/h and a ceiling of 27,000 m. It was in service here from 1970 to 2012. It was armed with four guided missiles.

The Su-27, with more modest speed and altitude indicators (2500 km/h and 18500 m), has more serious weapons. Firstly, this is a cannon, which the MiG-25 did not have. Secondly, as many as 10 hardpoints, since the aircraft belongs to the class of heavy fighters.

And finally, without a doubt, the world's best interceptor, the MiG-31, which has now been modified to the MiG-31BM version. Despite the fact that it has been in operation since 1981, equipping it with a new radar and weapons control system brought the vehicle to the 4++ generation. The plane had a cannon. Equipped with 8 short-, medium- and long-range missiles (up to 300 km) in various combinations. The MiG-31BM is capable of hitting not only any aircraft, but also cruise missiles. Maximum speed- 3000 km, dynamic ceiling - 29000 m, practical - 20600 m.

Opponents

In the mid-50s, the Boeing RB-47 Stratojet, converted from the main US jet bomber, “shine” in the sky. It had a subsonic speed and a ceiling of 13 thousand meters, but it took it with its power. It fired from two cannons and had great survivability. Due to its large carrying capacity (up to 11 tons), it was loaded with a large volume of spy equipment, which was serviced by three officers. In 1954, six Soviet MiG-17s could not do anything with the “American” in the area Kola Peninsula. That same year, three more incursions into Soviet territory went unpunished. However, then, starting in 1955, the US Air Force said goodbye to another downed reconnaissance aircraft almost every year.

The most impressive interception was carried out in the summer of 1960 over the Kola Peninsula captain Vasily Amvrosievich Polyakov on the MiG-19.

After Polyakov conveyed to the command post that he had visually determined the type of aircraft and its identity, an order was received to land the intruder. RB-47 pilot William Palm did not obey the signal: “Attention! Follow me."

After which a command was received from the ground to destroy the target. Since Polyakov was at a distance of 30 meters from the “American,” it was impossible to use unguided missiles. And then he fired a burst from a 30-mm cannon, expending 111 shells.

The reconnaissance aircraft had two engines on fire. The plane lost control and began to lose altitude. The crew of three left the plane and used inflatable rafts. The commander died in the water from hypothermia. The two were picked up by the Tobolsk fishing trawler. For unknown reasons, three reconnaissance equipment operators did not leave the plane and went to the bottom with it.

Introduced in 1956, the Lockheed U-2 reconnaissance aircraft still has the world's highest aerodynamic efficiency (ratio of lift to drag) among production aircraft. Essentially, it is a glider with a jet engine. It is capable of hovering at altitudes exceeding 20 km for a long time, periodically turning off the engine. For 4 whole years it was inaccessible to Soviet fighter aircraft - not a single aircraft could reach such a height. Over 4 years, the U-2 made 24 flights over the territory of the USSR. He spotted the location of the Baikonur Cosmodrome and a number of other strategic sites.

However, on May 1, 1960, it was shot down by a missile that had just appeared in the air defense of the Soviet Union, the ZRS-75. From that moment on, U-2 impunity became a thing of the past. It was these missiles that shot him down in China, Cuba, and Vietnam. In our skies, the pilots of this beautiful aircraft no longer tempted fate.

The U-2, which has been modernized several times, is still in service. But pilots no longer perceive flying it as highly useful for reconnaissance purposes, but as some kind of pure art, like poetry of the sky.

The legendary Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, in operation until 1998, was capable of accelerating to 3.3 M and rising to a height of 25,600 meters. Due to sharp maneuvers he could evade the missile. Stealth technologies were used in its creation. However, they turned out to be ineffective. At high speeds, the case became quite hot and emitted a lot of noise in the infrared range. The jet exhaust gave even greater visibility.

For quite a long time he calmly “visited” Kamchatka, collecting intelligence information. True, he did not cross the border. But after the appearance of the MiG-31 in the air defense forces quiet life stopped for American pilots. Although, of course, there was no mortal danger. Several times MiG pilots encountered the Blackbird in the neutral zone. That is, they waited for him to overtake the interceptor at his terrible speed. After which they caught the “American” in the sights, “feeling” with the beam of the guidance system. The SR-71, feeling “frying,” abruptly changed course and went away from Kamchatka to the Okinawa base, without completing its combat mission.

"Passya" scout and in the area of ​​the Kola Peninsula. Here the MiGs used the same tactics of conditional interception. But one day, on May 27, 1987, the SR-71 got carried away and ended up over our territory. In the same scenario, he was forced into the neutral zone.

In the late 1980s, Blackbird flight activity declined significantly. And then it completely disappeared. US attempts to restart the project in 1993 were unsuccessful. Official version— the operation of unique machines is too expensive. However, there is an opinion, which was expressed not only in Russia, but also in the United States, that to a certain extent, the refusal to use the SR-71 was influenced by the MiG-31 interceptors capable of resisting the formidable machine. As well as the adoption of the latest modifications of the S-300 air defense system, capable of easily reaching the Drozd in the skies, no matter how quickly it accelerates.

As for the RC-135 and R-8, which were conditionally intercepted in April, they represent neither the slightest problem. The first one was created in the mid-60s. The second one began operation in 2013. But, in essence, these are passenger airliners with exactly the same flight characteristics. The first one is filled with spy equipment. The second patrols the waters in search of submarines. But he shouldn’t get too close to the Russian shores.

The Pentagon once again announced that US Air Force aircraft “intercepted” Russian Tu-95 long-range missile-carrying bombers.

On September 1 and 11, 2018, F-22A stealth fighters flew to “intercept” two Tu-95M turboprops located in international waters near Alaska. At the same time Russian planes did not enter the airspace of either Canada or the United States. On September 11, the bombers were accompanied by Su-35S fighters.

It would be more correct to call such meetings not interception, but escort, because The "Raptors" flew on the same course as the "Bears" at a distance, without approaching or showing any aggressive actions. Both Russian pilots and American pilots carried out their tasks - ours practiced long flights with refueling in the air and indicated their presence near the areas of responsibility of a potential enemy. The Americans practiced the response time to the appearance of Russian aircraft - takeoff, approach, escort and return to the airfield, and also observed the flight of bombers and practiced aiming weapons.

Interception is a slightly different action on both sides. The interceptor pilot is tasked with finding the object, approaching it, and forcing it to either leave Russian airspace or land at an airfield on Russian territory. In extreme cases, if the violator fails to comply with the requirements, he may be shot down.

A classic example of interceptions is the actions of Su-27 fighter pilots over Cherny, Barentsev or Baltic seas, when planes take off to drive away all sorts of “Poseidons” and “Orions” of NATO countries from our borders. At the same time, the Pentagon calls such cases “dangerous” and “unprofessional.” But in our opinion, the appearance of Russian "sushi" near insolent US reconnaissance aircraft can only be dangerous for the American (Norwegian, Canadian, etc.) pilots themselves, because When flying out on a mission, they understand perfectly well where they are flying and for what purpose.

A clear proof of this is the actions of Senior Lieutenant Vasily Tsimbal, who took off on September 13, 1987 in his Su-27 to intercept a P-3 Orion reconnaissance aircraft.

The Norwegian plane was not just engaged in reconnaissance, it dropped sonar buoys into the channel along which Soviet submarines went to sea. Having discovered an armed Su-27 nearby, the Norwegians did not react to it and continued their work.

In order to prevent the dumping of reconnaissance equipment, Vasily Tsimbal decided to adapt to Orion’s belly, and, releasing the brake flap, began maneuvering, but did not calculate the speed of approach and touched the propellers of the Norwegian aircraft with his left fin. The propeller fragments scattered in different directions and tore through the Orion fuselage. Only after this did the Norwegian plane change course and fly towards Norway.

Su-27 was driven away by a Norwegian P-3 Orion reconnaissance aircraft

But the senior lieutenant decided to consolidate the knowledge of the reconnaissance plane crew about what Russian pilots are capable of if their “sworn friends” do not show enough respect for their “partners.” Taking a position above the “Norwegian”, Vasily Tsimbal drained some of the fuel onto the Orion cabin and only after that left for his airfield.

Did the Cymbal work professionally? Certainly! Aggressively? Naturally! But without pressure, determination and unconventional actions, it is impossible to convey to our “partners” that we cannot fly near our borders with impunity.